Farmers Review Africa July/Aug 2017 Farmers Review Africa July/Aug 2017 | Page 9
News
South Africa
Second outbreak of
Avian Influenza on
another Astral poultry
breeding farm
Astral Foods Limited (Astral), a leading cases of H5N8 infection on 31 July 2017 in the evidenced by its con rmed presence across these
Southern African integrated poultry producer, Lekwa Local Municipality (Standerton district), provinces.
reported an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic where the virus has been detected in wild bird Government to regulate the use of vaccination
Avian In uenza (HPAI) H5N8 in June 2017 populations and “backyard” chickens. It is well programmes against the virus.
affecting one of its poultry breeding farms in known that a number of large commercial commercial vaccines have been developed for use
Villiers. Despite extreme measures taken to poultry operations exist in the area, so the in preventative vaccination programmes against
reduce the risk of any further infections on any presence of this virus in the region presents a HPAI, and these vaccines have successfully been
other Astral farms, a second outbreak of H5N8 serious threat to these operations. Not applied in a number of countries around the
has been isolated and con rmed on 1 August including the new outbreak on the Welbedacht world such as Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Mexico, India,
2017 on an Astral poultry breeding facility breeding farm, the total number of outbreaks Bangladesh, Pakistan and Vietnam, to name a few.
known as Welbedacht, situated on the banks of officially con rmed to date by DAFF stands at e protection of high value breeding stock in
the Grootdraai dam just outside Standerton in ten, with four of these outbreaks reported in South Africa is imperative in order to curb against
Mpumalanga. is new outbreak is completely commercial poultry, three outbreaks in wild large scale nancial losses in the local poultry
unrelated to the Villiers incident. birds, one outbreak in captive hobby birds and industry, to ensure food security and to curb job
two outbreaks in backyard poultry”. losses as a result of production capacity losses in
e Welbedacht farm is similar in size to the
Astral is actively engaging with
Globally,
this industry.”
Villiers farm, and contains 48 poultry sheds. At In the short term, this second outbreak of H5N8 this juncture the impact has been limited to only will not have any impact on broiler supply to Chris Schutte, Astral's CEO, concludes: “We trust
one poultry shed on the farm, and this outbreak Astral's poultry processing plants or the supply that Government and the relevant authorities will
is being managed with extreme care and of chicken to the market. All efforts are being act swily and diligently with their approval to use
diligence on the back of experiences gained with taken to curb this outbreak and limit its impact vaccinations against HPAI in poultry breeding
the rst outbreak at Villiers. e spread of the on this farm, and any further consequences stock. When the country was faced with the
infection to all poultry sheds on the Villiers farm depend solely on whether the infection will invasive Fall Army Worm threat in the maize
was successfully prevented, and although that spread to other houses on the farm. All industry, the matter was dealt with urgently by
farm remains under quarantine no further sign stakeholders are reminded that this infection Government and received personal attention
of the disease has been detected amongst the has impacted breeding stock and not broiler from the Minister of Agriculture.
remaining poultry stock on that farm. birds destined for meat production. outbreak in South Africa is no longer just a
Arnold, stated that: “It now appears that H5N8 concern for individual poultry farmers, but is of
Gary Arnold, Managing Director Agriculture, is endemic to Mpumalanga and Gauteng, as the national interest to all poultry dependant
commented: “e Department of Agriculture, virus persists regionally within commercial industries and job creators.”
Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) reported two new poultry, wild birds and backyard chickens as www.astralfoods.com
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July - August 2017